Meaning
by Medoc0
Summary: A Masquerade Ball...TATE.


_Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. It belongs to the great Don Bellisario. Please do not sue me._

Kate is standing in the ladies room, fixing her hair.

It is Halloween and NCIS is throwing an old fashioned masquerade ball.

She puts her mask back on and walks out into the hall.

It is so odd seeing everyone in masks.

The room is so full.

Kate spots a woman with dark hair in pigtails dancing with a tall man.

Kate can tell by the couples movements; the clumsiness of the man and the quick movements of the woman that this can only be McGee and Abby.

The song finishes and they leave the floor. Kate beckons them over.

She is wearing a black dress which Abby comments on, smiling, then looks at McGee expectantly.

McGee, embarrassed at being put on the spot, blushes and looks away, mumbling that she looks nice.

Abby grins and pulls McGee back onto the floor.

Kate watches them dance for a while before noticing Gibbs sitting by the bar.

He is not wearing his mask so Kate can see the odd expression on his face. She follows his gaze, and sees a woman with red hair dancing with a slightly shorter man.

The penny drops.

Kate looks back at Gibbs, in his hand is a glass of punch. Kate wonders absently if it has been spiked yet.

The dazed look in Gibbs' eyes says yes.

Kate turns around only to walk straight into someone.

She doesn't recognise him under his mask but he seems familiar. He offers her his arm, and, without knowing why, she takes it. Under the sleeve of his suit jacket she can feel his muscles.

It is a slow song and she stands close to him as they dance. He smells nice, expensive-cologne-nice.

He never speaks, never looks her directly in the eye. It strikes Kate that this is probably someone she knows.

He is a good dancer too.

As the song ends Kate's mysterious stranger leads her gently out of the hall and into the courtyard outside.

Kate opens her mouth to ask the mans identity only to have his lips pressed to hers.

It is an impulsive kiss that finishes too soon.

Kate pulls off her mask.

He still has his arms around her waist.

'Who are you?' Kate whispers into the dark.

Slowly, she reaches up and unties his mask.

A familiar face looks back at her.

Kate gasps.

'Tony?!'

Tony gives her his trademark grin.

Kate feels her face flush with anger. She slaps him across the face. Hard.

'This is so typical of you!'

'Kate, I-'

Kate holds up a hand silencing him.

'Don't wanna hear it Tony, don't wanna hear it!'

Kate turns tail and walks back through the hall, out the other door and into the parking lot.

Tony lets her go.

Kate arrives at her car and gets in. She takes a moment to compose herself before putting her key in the ignition.

Kate's thoughts as she drives are a mixture of anger and...confusion.

Why would he kiss her?

Was he just being Tony?

Just messing with her?

Or was there another reason?

Kate arrives home and pulls off her shoes, which she throws through the door of her bedroom.

She then proceeds to take a hot shower.

Tony is also having a shower.

What did he do?

He could have just danced with her and left it at that.

He didn't have to ruin it all by kissing her.

And even so why wear the mask?

That godammed mask.

Tony had known that he was in deep shit when Kate reached to untie it.

On the bright side, thought Tony, tomorrow is Saturday.

Kate dresses in her pyjamas, an old shirt belonging to one of her many ex-boyfriends and flannel pants.

Kate always kept stuff from her ex-boyfriends.

Not for sentimental reasons, just to prove that time has past.

She sits down on her couch and hugs a pillow, her little dog, coincidentally also named Tony, jumps up beside her.

She envies the dog.

Animals don't have to deal with the messiness of relationships.

For them something like a meaningless kiss would mean nothing.

And the one kissed wouldn't be left feeling angry and betrayed.

Tony picks up his cell and dials Kate's number.

He is about to press the call button but then changes his mind.

Tony deletes the string of numbers.

Besides, even if he did call her, what would he say?

He couldn't say what he really felt.

That wasn't a phone conversation.

Maybe he should go to her apartment.

No. She wouldn't want to see him.

Especially not now.

But the little voice in Tony's head tells him that this will be his only chance to make this right.

When Kate hears the knock at the door, she jumps.

Before she even opens the door she knows who it is.

'I told you already Tony, I don't want to know what you have to say!

Kate tries to shut the door but Tony shoves past her.

'I have to talk to you Kate. Its important.'

'I don't care Tony. Just leave, please!' Tony can hear the catch in her voice.

He takes a deep breath. 'Kate, I'll admit it. What I did was chauvinistic and wrong. I'm a bastard. That I already know. But I'm sorry Kate, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. I just-'

'Played me like every other woman who crosses your path.'

'No Kate, No. You aren't like the other women. They don't mean anything to me; its just sex. But you Kate? You, you mean everything to me. Sure we're partners but we're also friends.

There is an uncomfortable silence.

'Then why,' asks Kate. 'Did you kiss me?'

'Because Kate...well...I like you. A lot.'

There is a longer and even more uncomfortable silence.

'But why the mask, Tony?'

Tony looks down at his shoes.

Kate steps closer to him and tries to catch his eye. 'Tony?'

'If you had known who I was, known it was me, would you have let me kiss you?

I guess you could say I'm afraid of rejection.'

Tony looks Kate in the eyes.

Her expression is no longer angry, just sad.

'I should go...' Tony mutters.

Kate grabs his arm.

'Tony wait.'

Tony turns back to her.

'What Kate?' he says defeatedly.

'You can't say something like that and just walk away.'

Tony rubs the back of his neck. 'Kate I'm tired. Its past midnight. I'm going home.'

'No.' Kate swallows hard. 'I listened to what you had to say and now its my turn.'

Tony raises his arms a little then lets them fall back to his sides.

'Shoot.'

'I forgive you. And Tony? We're all afraid of rejection, but sometimes you have to take chances.'

Kate puts her hand on the side of Tony's face.

'I forgive you.' She says again.

For the second time that night Tony leans down and kisses her.

But this time the kiss it not impulsive and it lasts longer.

This time it means something.

_fin_


End file.
